The Utah Jazz lost a 94-91 nail-biter to the NBA-leading Indiana Pacers Sunday night, but it was the distribution of playing time that was the real story. For just the second time all season, all five of the “Foundation Five” young players for the Jazz played at least 30 minutes in the same game.

Against Indiana, they even finished the game on the court together in the latter part of the fourth quarter, another extreme rarity.

It was also just the third time since Nov. 21 that Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors both played at least 30 minutes in the same game.

Before any Jazz fans get too excited and start thinking that maybe Jazz leadership was finally beaten with a rational stick, however, there’s evidence that suggests this sudden coherent minute distribution by the coaching staff was merely a misguided attempt to play “matchup basketball,” rather than a true light-bulb moment.

I say that because one of the other two times since Nov. 21 that Kanter and Favors both played at least 30 minutes in the same game was also against Indiana.

The minute distribution for the Jazz this season has largely defied reason.

If you are the Jazz, how do you possibly justify giving Richard Jefferson, an old veteran offseason afterthought acquisition who basically already said he doesn’t want to play for the Jazz next season and who Sports Illustrated named to its “All-Atrocious” team, more minutes than Kanter this season, a player you invested a No. 3 overall draft pick on?

Even if you want to make a highly debatable argument that Jefferson has been more effective than Kanter on the court this season (Kanter has a much better player efficiency rating than Jefferson), it doesn’t matter anyway because that argument is invalid since winning doesn’t benefit the Jazz this season.

Among Jazz players that have played in at least 40 games and averaged at least 15 minutes per game, Jefferson has the worst player efficiency rating on the team, yet he averages 27 minutes per game – the same as Alec Burks, and more than Kanter, Jeremy Evans and Marvin Williams, all of whom have significantly outperformed Jefferson on the court.

Jefferson’s player efficiency (12.0) is actually a lot closer to Rudy Gobert’s (11.0), the rookie the Jazz sent down to the D-League, than it is to Williams’ (15.1), Kanter’s (15.5), Burks’ (15.6) or Evans’ (18.2).

Not only have the Jazz invested their minutes poorly this season, but they are also now barely hanging on to a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. That’s called mismanaging your assets on multiple levels.

NEXT: Around the state, beginning with Fredette’s sudden change of luck in Sacramento

You need to listen to the radio show Jake and Tony on 1280.
They have some great points that but your comments in the back seat. I'm
sure they have it archived so that you can listen to it. The Jazz have players
that are getting minutes but they do need a veteran in their starting five to
look for leadership and I think Jefferson is doing a great job. Any how I agree
with all that Jake and Tony said about your article, and I think you should
listen to it.

I've talked about apparent poor coaching decisions regarding our foundation
five for much of this season... as have other fans. Too bad that Corbin
just can't seem to be able to see and buy into the bigger and more
meaningful vision. Anything regarding Jefferson on the court is strictly
short-term and very limited team vision.

Phil Jackson,
Dennis Rodman and Michael Jordan haven't been associated with the Bulls for
quite some time and so are no longer a detriment. That's ancient history
for most of us. Many current younger Jazz fans don't even remember those
Finals match-ups.

And yes, many of us Jazz fans will be pulling for
Jimmer regardless of which team he would've gone to. So the Bulls it is. At
least there are some past Jazz connections there.

What a surprise that your employees,
Jake and Tony, on your radio station, 1280 the Zone, defended the choices of the
Jazz. Shocking. That idea of the veteran leadership is hollow. You're
telling me Hayward and Favors have been in the league three years now and they
still need an old, washed up veteran to show them "leadership" or how to
play the game? That doesn't bode well for the Jazz!

The poll question gave only negative options about playing Jefferson. Young
players and their development is often aided by a veteran presence and leader.
Jefferson deserves some credit in my opinion for the positive influence and
teacher he has been on the court. He has been on winning teams and
organizations, plus he still has some miles left in the tank. His efforts
aren't getting him any closer to a ring right now, but he is being a true
professional. I appreciate that.

Number one please listen to the Jake and Tony show, they
make great points about how this article was written. In the past Jake and Tony
have blasted the Jazz and praised the Jazz just like all other unbiased media
outlets have done. A point that they were making is Corbin's contract was
not extended and he is doing everything in his power to win games. If that means
putting Jefferson and William's into the starting lineup and winning then
that is what Corbin is going to do. I agree with the direction of where the
Jazz are going with their young core however, I disagree with Jazz management in
not extending Corbins contract so that he would be at more liberty to develop
the core more.

I am a Jazz fan and hope for the best for this
season and seasons to come.

Please do better research before putting your column out there.
The WCC tournament has changed its format this year. Seeds 7-10 have play-in
games for men and women on Thursday. Women play quarterfinals on Friday with
BYU starting at Noon PST. Men have quarterfinals on Saturday with BYU playing
at Noon also. No games on Sunday. Monday has women's and men's
semifinal games and the championship games for both will be held on Tuesday.

The WCC decided that with 10 teams now they wanted to go to a more
traditional bracket seeding.

Other than that I enjoyed and agree
with the majority of your view points. I feel the Jazz have made some poor
decisions this year with development- but more than just year- it's been an
ongoing problem. I am liking contributions from Marvin Williams though and hope
they can re-sign him. I have mixed feelings about Hayward however, and hope the
organization doesn't blow it by signing him to a huge contract.

I agree with your point about Corbin's contract
situation. Very poorly managed by the Jazz.

As for the point about
Jefferson's veteran leadership, judging by last night's horrific
blowout loss to the worst team in the NBA, it seems the message/example of the
right way to play is not getting through.

The Jazz have really
mismanaged the team this season. The GM and execs are more to blame than Corbin.

I agree with the balla.Nothing the people on 1280 says is credible. These
people only parrot the message the owners of the Jazz/Radio Station tell them to
report. They aren't going to admit to making a wrong decision about
Jefferson over Kanter or Evans, so the word is put out to defend the decision on
the radio.Anyone with a lick of logical sense can see the error in this
thinking, but those on 1280 keep beating the drum.Then, on draft day when
the Jazz pick 11th, they will try to put a different spin on it and make out
like they did the best the could this season. And, most of the sheep listening
to the radio will believe it.